A nurse is providing teaching to a client who has heart failure and a new prescription for furosemide. Which of the following statements should the nurse make?

A. Place the client in a supine position. As clients near the end of life, the supine position may compromise breathing. A semi-Fowler’s or lateral position is usually preferred to promote comfort and respiratory ease.
B. Remind the client to eat scheduled meals daily. At the end of life, appetite typically decreases, and forcing food can cause discomfort. Nutrition should be offered based on the client's desire, not forced on a strict schedule.
C. Offer the client a blanket to keep warm. Clients nearing death often experience peripheral circulation decline, leading to feelings of coldness. Providing a blanket promotes comfort and warmth without being invasive.
D. Speak in a loud tone when addressing the client. Loud speech can be disorienting and distressing, especially if the client is already weak or confused. Use a calm, clear, and gentle tone to provide comfort and maintain dignity.

A. Heart rate. The client’s heart rate decreased from 110/min on postpartum day 3 to 78/min on day 5, returning to normal resting range, which suggests improvement in systemic inflammation or infection, and better overall hemodynamic stability.
B. Temperature. The temperature has decreased from 38.6° C (101.5° F) to 37.1° C (98.9° F), which is within normal limits. This reduction is a key indicator of resolving infection or inflammation, especially considering the earlier febrile response.
C. Lochia. Lochia has improved from a moderate, foul-smelling, dark brown discharge to a small amount of brownish-red lochia with no odor, which suggests infection resolution and appropriate progression of postpartum uterine involution.
D. Hgb. The client’s hemoglobin dropped from 11.1 g/dL to 10 g/dL, which is below the normal postpartum range. This is likely due to ongoing recovery, recent surgery, and fluid shifts, but it does not indicate improvement and may require continued monitoring.
E. WBC count. The WBC count normalized from a significantly elevated 33,000/mm³ to 10,000/mm³, which is within the normal reference range. This is a strong sign that the infection or inflammatory response is resolving.
F. Fundal height. The fundus has decreased from 1 cm above the umbilicus on day 3 to 4 cm below on day 5, which is consistent with normal involution of the uterus during the postpartum period and is a positive sign of recovery.